Chapter Nine

Year 2775, 12th Sun

Ungoverned Sea Mile, the High Seas

Days passed like hours to Aradag, but all too soon he could feel dread gripping his heart. They had arrived at their destination, but at what cost?

"Are you sure this is the right place, Captain?" Rose asked, skeptical of the murky waters that reflected away all sunlight. Aradag nodded. "Oh dear. What do you suggest—"

With a gigantic wave that rocked the whole ship surfaced a snake-shaped sea guardian.

"Get below deck, now!" shouted Aradag as his crew began to holler orders at one another. The sea guardian shrieked and lunged at the ship, but luckily for the crew, the powder monkeys had already spotted the threat. Cannonballs launched from the ship and into the monster's scaly body, tore through its flesh and left behind trails of red.

But the sea guardian had one trick up its sleeve. While he dashed back and forth across the deck, Aradag noticed the creature aiming for the ship's masts. Without thinking, he gripped his zweihänder and leaped onto the creature's head, sinking the heavy blade into its eyes. Howling, the guardian thrashed about but failed to get him off, and instead crashed onto the water with him in tow.

"Captain? Captain!" shouted Rose, who sneaked back on board in the aftermath of Aradag's surprising move. Even the lookout was now on deck, trying to get Rose's attention, but her eyes were fixed on the black shadow below. "Oh god... there's something there, look!"

A much bigger snake was moving under the water, behind the young man who had surfaced. "Behind you, Captain! Get out of the water!"

"I'll be fine, just get to safety!" he heaved. While he caught his breath, the guardian broke through the water's surface and bit into his legs. A shout of pain escaped him right as the sea guardian dragged him back down.

Horror gripped Rose. Even against the bleak hue of the sea, Aradag's blood glistened like an eerie reminder of his fate. "He... I-I killed him...!"

"No ye didn't," replied a sailor after his captain emerged from the water, sword nowhere to be seen. After the crew threw him a rope and pulled him up, the healer took him away to the sickbay.

But Rose couldn't stay still with the guilt eating at her mind. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she decided to check on Aradag, maybe help the healer nurse him back to health. Once she entered the sickbay, any thoughts she had dissipated as she took in the sight in front of her.

"You must have been blessed, Captain, to live through such a stunt," she struggled to hold back a frown. "What were you thinking?"

It hurt to move, to speak, to breathe, but Aradag brought himself to respond in spite of his screaming nerves. "I... guess so..."

Rose sighed. "At any rate, make sure you're ready for our next move. Something strange is happening in the water, I think you ought to see it."

"What sort of strange?" the healer asked while wrapping bandages around Aradag's legs.

"A bottomless waterfall sort of strange," she replied, "and we are headed straight towards it. The helmsman is helpless, and even with the masts unfurled everything is in chaos."

Aradag drew in a painful breath. "So we are destined for death?"

"It seems so. I'm sorry to have dragged you all the way here, Captain Spectro."

Before the wounded man could respond, the ship lurched sideways, launching everything and everyone on it in all directions. Crates smashed into the walls, spilling fish and dried herbs, while the healer stumbled on the floor in search of Aradag's missing form. Rose could only shout in pain when the motion slammed her into one of the beds.

Then the ship started falling.

In her panic, Rose latched onto the closest stable object she could find, which was the door handle. She caught a glimpse of Aradag's blanketed body on the far end of the bay and prayed that this turn of events didn't make his injuries worse.

The crash they were expecting did not come, though, for the ship slowed before its descent into shallow water. "What happened?" asked Rose, groaning as she stretched her limbs. "Why—no, how did we slow down? Where did we land?"

Instead of a response, Rose received a pained hiss from Aradag. The young man forced his legs to stand and carry him across the bay. "Have to... see what happened..."

"You stay here," she bit back, "I will investigate."

Taking with her a mini telescope, Rose made her way updeck, where the crew barked at one another in complete darkness. She shivered, the cold air biting her bones. As she looked around, the icy breeze intensified until they turned into strong winds. "Such darkness... but no, there is a gate there! You, come here! Can you see that gate?"

The crewmate did not reply. Perhaps he didn't hear her. Rose went to fetch Aradag only to find him behind her, leaning on the beam of the mizzenmast. "I can, if it is any assurance. There is also an island behind it."

"Thieves!" said a booming voice. "Who dares invade my turf?"

"Stay calm," Aradag whispered to Rose, then cleared his throat. "We have fallen into this region from the sea. We are not thieves and have no intentions to steal from uncharted territory. On behalf of my crew, I apologize for the intrusion."

Rocks crumbled from invisible walls as the creature moved closer to the ship, or what remained of it. "So said the first five! You filthy humans spout nothing but lies, so prepare to face your punishment!"

Behind the gate, a blue orb of light appeared. It floated above the water and approached the ship, where Rose drew a breath.

"If I may ask," Aradag replied, walking in the direction of the blue light, "who are you and who were those five thieves you spoke of?"

The creature's laugh rumbled through the area, shaking the very earth. "You have some nerve! How precious. I have no more stones to give, for the wretched five stole them all. You must have met them. You humans share the same root of evil."

Stones? "Do you mean the five magicians?"

"Is that what they call themselves? The sheer audacity! They steal from King Vagon and claim to be magicians! Their race invades my lands and kills my people, then they profess their pity and take advantage of my kindness!"

Rose scoffed. "Those are serious accusations coming from a being hiding in darkness! Show yourself first!"

"Rose!" Aradag hissed. "Don't provoke it!"

"I do what I—wait, is that a portal? Captain!"

True to her words, a portal opened, briefly reminding Aradag of his encounter with Lady Avis and the strange things she had described, but more so the man she called Martha. And who should appear from that port but the shadow-cloaked being himself?

"You again!" The now-identified King Vagon bellowed. "What you seek is long gone. Leave before I squash you like the insect you are!"

"Martha!" shouted Aradag as the man glanced at him and smiled.